Monday, September 1, 2014

A Day in the Life of Leila Maqtan




"You need as much knowledge as possible. Curiosity is the interpreter's best friend. Every bit of information can help, you never know when.

Whether somebody makes a joke, or refers to a recent event in their speech, the interpreter needs to understand what is being said at all times."

What made you decide on this career in the first instance?

The idea that I could "play" with words and get paid for it made me make a career out of this. When I say "play" I mean be creative.
I've always thought that interpreters, for instance, are some sort of geniuses. That was before I became one myself. After that, I realised they are normal people. To some extent, of course...



How did you get to your current position?

Well...I've built it up in time. I am a self-employed person, I work full-time as a translator and interpreter, but I've started by getting my degree, then I've got some experience, then some additional qualifications and I've built up my client base in time.



What knowledge/skills are required to become an interpreter?

Apart from the obvious vocabulary and relevant terminology, you also need as much knowledge as possible. Curiosity is the interpreter's best friend. Every bit of information can help, you never know when. Whether somebody makes a joke, or refers to a recent event in their speech, the interpreter needs to understand what is being said at all times.
Of course, you need to be able to speak at least two languages fluently. But that is far from being enough. There is a lot of training involved. Simultaneous interpreting requires a special ability, for instance: listening and talking at the same time - and not talking gibberish!



What have you learned from your past jobs? Did you gain transferrable skills to help you in your current position?

I have learned a lot. And yes, I did get transferrable skills. As I said before, every bit of information may be used sometime. Previously - or, I should rather say, in the meanwhile - I have worked as a web developer for a very short time. This made it very easy for me to translate websites, for instance.



How many hours do you typically work per week?

Properly working, probably...10? But there's a lot of travelling involved, and some waiting time as well.



Describe a typical day at your job.

Wake up, consult Google Maps for the shortest route to the destination, get there, sign in at the reception, wait, introduce myself at some point to the people involved, interpreting, break, interpreting, break, pleasantries,  maybe some more interpreting, goodbyes, sign out, go home. Maybe I do some translation work at home too.



What kinds of events challenge you on the job?

Everything that is new, that I've never had to deal with before, is a welcome challenge.
However, large rooms with bad acoustics, for instance, are a challenge sometimes as well...not as welcome as the previous one.



How would you describe the experience of working with the Police forces?

Contrary to expectations, working with the police has been a rather smooth and calm process, every time. I think the police officers are well trained to work with interpreters and they do their best to create a proper environment for the process. At least this is my experience so far.



When have you been most satisfied in your career?

There have been a few satisfaction peaks. I can't really pick one peak.  I'm usually very satisfied when people forget that I am there and they seem to communicate as if they spoke the same language. It means I've done my job well.



What advice would you give to an individual who's starting a career as a translator or interpreter?

Learn, read, never stop being curious, speak much, listen much, train your brain regularly, and take yourself and your future career seriously.



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